Poland intends to engage in coal mining sector in Sumatera

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Polish FAMUR International Trade S.A. firm, has intended to invest US$50 million in a coal mining project in Air Laya area in Bukit Asam district in South Sumatra, Indonesian Ambassador for Poland Hazairin Pohan has said.

Indonesian and Polish officials including FAMUR International Trade S.A. president Rafal Rost had already discussed the plan which was held on the sidelines of SIMEX mining equipment and metallurgy international exhibition in Katowice last week, Pohan said in a statement made available to ANTARA here Monday.

SIMEX Fair 2007 which was participated in by 100 mining equipment producers from German, Britain, Italy, Russia and Poland was one of the Europe`s largest mining industrial expo.

The Air Laya coal mining project was an open pit but now began to be turned into an underground mine where miners had dug the earth down to 100 meters.

Pohan was quoted as saying high calorie coal could expectedly be found 150 meter below the soil.

FAMUR S.A. has so far engaged in Barito Line project in Central Kalimantan where the Polish firm has invested $1 billion to build a new railway system, replacing the 150-year old one.

FAMUR has been preparing a program to develop nickel and copper processing firms in many places in Indonesia. Therefore, FAMUR as well as the Polish and the Indonesian governments had been had been discussing the program to implement the project which would need an investment value amounting to $50 million.

Pohan has encouraged FAMUR to participate in a development project of a 90-km long railway which would connect economic centers to Tanjung Api Api port in South Sumatra.

?If the $350 million worth of railway project is agreed by the Polish government, South Sumatra administration will have a big chance to build an inner seaport in the future,? Pohan was quoted as saying.

Another Polish firm, KOPEX S.A. has also intended to engage in a coal mine project in South Kalimantan.